The Dora Township caucuses are on December 1 and the Multi-Township caucuses are on December 2 at their designated locations.
Category Archives: News
Where is Brandon Stone going?
ALAH Principals Present School Improvement Plans
Superintendent Cheek shares COVID19 update
•November 11, 2020•
by Ariana Cherry
NP Writer
Superintendent Shannon Cheek opened the ALAH school board meeting Oct. 21 with the treasurer’s report, noting that all funds are on track. Cheek mentioned that the district received four very generous donations in the past month. The one of which he is most proud came from Jack Martin, a senior, who donated his time and materials to power wash the front of the school building. A total of $3,400 was collected in donations from Edward Jones for the FFA and Ag programs and Aikman’s Wildlife Adventures. Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Care Center also reimbursed $700 to the athletic program.
The district obtained a grant which allows them to purchase and provide all students in the district with water bottles. The grant covers half of the expense. The ALAH district also applied for a grant through ADM in the amount of $14,000 which will assist in paying for a tractor and seed cleaner for the district’s popcorn field as well as purchase a camera for documentation. After some popcorn has been harvested, the district will donate some to ADM as a thank you. Read More
Sullivan Native Offering His E-Books for Free
Jan Munch
•November 11, 2020•
By Crystal Reed
NP Writer
Jan Munch, who was born and raised in Sullivan, is offering his e-books for free. Munch, who writes under the pen name Jon Truman has written five books, which are available as e-books and paperbacks online.
Munch graduated from Sullivan High School in 1959. He attended the University of Illinois. He married Linda Patient from Bethany. After graduation, he worked as a recreation therapist at Alton State Hospital for two years. Read More
Moultrie County Has High Turnout for General Election
Photo by Crystal Reed.
Andrew Fultz of Bethany casts his vote on Election day at the Bethany Firehouse.
•November 11, 2020•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
The elections were held last Tuesday and the county saw one of the highest turnouts ever.
In the 2020 Moultrie County election Moultrie County Clerk Georgia England reported that there were over 3,000 people that went to the polls. There were 1,809 people that voted during early voting and 1,163 that voted by mail.
When it came to voting on the State of Illinois Constitutional amendment there were 1,477 votes for yes and 5,089 votes for no. There was also a referendum question for Illinois separation that received 4,610 yes votes and 1,969 no votes.
There were six candidates that ran for four County Board seats. Totals for the county board race were Elizabeth Houser 4,769; J. John Fayhee 3,854; Larry R. Baker 3,799; Neil Bryan 3,623; Rita Florey 2,549 and Gary P. Smith 2,417. Read More
SCED Holding Annual Holiday Elf Hunt
•November 11, 2020•
The Sullivan Chamber and Economic Development is having its annual Holiday Elf Hunt. There will be an elf hiding in 16 local businesses and shoppers are tasked with visiting at least six of those business and finding the elf so that they can fill out a card.
According to Sullivan Chamber and Economic Development Director Laurrie Minor, the promotion is a way to get people to visit local businesses. “There are families that do this promotion with their kids every year,” she said. Read More
Ninth Annual IGA Round-Up To Benefit Food Pantry
Photo submitted
A sign in the Sullivan IGA promoting the 9th Annual Round Up which benefits the Moultrie County Food Pantry.
•November 4, 2020•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
It’s Round-Up time at Sullivan IGA from now to Nov 7 giving every customer a chance to help buy turkeys for Moultrie County Food Pantry’s Thanksgiving.
“It’s amazing how quickly it adds up,” IGA Manager Pat Stinson said of the ninth annual fundraising event for the food pantry.
“The most you can donate is 99 cents and even a penny makes a difference” he continued, noting the week long event contributes some $1,200 annually to the food pantry’s Thanksgiving meal giveaway.
Over the course of the week, Stinson explained, some 6,500 transactions at Sullivan IGA check out counter raise the funds a few cents at a time for the food pantry. Read More
Sullivan Library Holds Open House For IDEA Lab
Photo by R.R. Best
Students use laptops in the Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library’s IDEA Lab.
•November 4, 2020•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
The Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library held an open house for their new IDEA Lab on Oct 22. IDEA stands for Imagine, Design, Engineer and Achieve. The lab is available to students in kindergarten through 12th grade and has a wide variety of activities.
According to Library Director Michelle Nolan, the lab is being made possible by a Project Next Generation grant from the State of Illinois and a donation from 100 Women Who Care. The area features a gaming computer with the Minecraft education edition and that students can use for homework and printing. Read More
Candidate Forum Held Last Wednesday
•October 28, 2020•
By Crystal Reed
NP Writer
The Sullivan Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development and Moultrie County News Progress co-sponsored a candidate forum last Wednesday evening at the Little Theatre on the Square. The moderator for the event was Amanda Standerfer, and time keeper was Laurrie Minor. A video of the forum may be found on the News Progress Facebook page.
The first part of the forum was for Moultrie County Board. Gary Smith was the first to speak. He is a lifetime resident of Moultrie County and was raised on a farm south of Lovington. He went to school in Lovington and graduated from Lake Land College. Upon graduation he began working at the grain elevator in Lovington and finished his 45 years at the elevator, retiring in early October.
He has been mayor of Lovington for more than 20 years as well as the fire chief in Lovington and president of Habitat for Humanity of Moultrie County. Read More
Sullivan City Council Hears Proposal
•October 28, 2020•
By Crystal Reed
NP Writer
The Sullivan City Council heard from Pat Stinson, Sullivan IGA store manager about the city’s liquor ordinance. He wants the council to change the ordinance where employees have to be 21 to scan alcohol to 18 years old.
“Most nights I have one 21 year old employee in the building after 5:00 and they run back and forth all night scanning alcohol,” he said. Stinson said that he has an employee that just turned 21 that he schedules ever other weekend 4-9 just to scan alcohol.
He went on to note that there are cameras on every register, back room and service desk. They have 32 cameras in the local store.
The city attorney Andrew Bequette, was present to answer questions. He said that you can restrict the times that the younger person can scan alcohol or serve alcohol in a restaurant. Read More
County Board Candidate Profiles
•October 28, 2020•
Gary Smith
I have been a life-long resident of Moultrie County. My past civic duties include being the Village Trustee of Lovington, Mayor of Lovington, President of Central Illinois Municipal Officials Association, Moultrie County Board Member, and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT); some current duties are the Lovington Fire Chief, President of Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity, Sons of the American Legion, and Okaw Honor Fire Guard.
Having recently retired after 45 years managing the grain elevator in Lovington, I would like to focus more on giving back to the community. As a Moultrie County Board member, I will listen to everyone’s thoughts and my vote will be what is best for the citizens and wellbeing of Moultrie County. I have a proven record of working with the public in all aspects of my past career and civic experiences. Read More